Accident Victim’s Widow Sues Insurer for US$1.5M

(L-R): Malcolm, 23, Madam Josephine, with her last daughter, seven (7) month old Desire, and George, 20, at the Temple of Justice

By Abednego Davis

The widow of Anthony Sando, who was killed in a vehicle accident on February 20 this year, has filed a lawsuit against Accident and Casualty Insurance claiming US$1, 556,360 in damages for wrongful death.

The lawsuit filed at the Civil Law Court in Monrovia also named one Benette O. Samolu, believed to be the owner of the bus insured by the Accident and Casualty Insurance Company.

The accident took place at the Bong Mines Bridge, Bushrod Island, in Monrovia.
The lawsuit filed by Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi on behalf of the widow, Madam Josephine Sando and her children, ages 23, 20, 17 and seven months old, sought US$6,360 in special damages, US$50,000 for punitive damages, and US$1,500,000 for general damages, totaling US$1,556,360.

The lawsuit alleged that the insurance company initially agreed and signed a promissory note when they first appeared before the Traffic Court to pay US$10,000 as third party liability on behalf of Samolu for Sondo’s wrongful death.

“The defendants, Accident and Casualty Insurance Company and Samolu, refused to honor their liability to my clients in keeping with the signed promissory note and the third party insurance coverage, despite several written communications and oral demands,” the lawsuit alleged.

Cllr. Massaquoi further alleged that with malice and sinister motives to suppress and ruin his client’s life on May 25, while in the office of the company’s claims manager Morris M.

Kroma, he said: “We are not burying a dead body in this office.” The lawsuit also quoted Samolu as saying “If another car had hit the deceased and runaway how were you people going to handle the dead body matter?”

The lawsuit also quoted the insurance company as allegedly saying, “Your shoes’ heels will definitely finish, because you will not receive a dime from us, and the entire court is in our pockets.”

“Because of these malicious and unfounded statements of and concerning Sando’s good reputation, she has suffered serious mental anguish and humiliation to the effect that she cannot take care of her four children,” the lawsuit emphasized.

“They have shown extreme indifference to the life of her late husband to the extent of insinuating that they were in the business of selling the dead body to the insurance company especially when she humbly requested the liability of Samolu as promised in keeping with the law,” Massaquoi stated.

The lawsuit alleged that the late Sando was the only breadwinner of his family who was employed as the national coordinator of LIBNEP –PSI with a gross annual salary of US$9,666 from 2003 up to his death in February.

It also alleged that during the accident, her late husband lost several properties, including a red Yamaha motorbike, laptop, and two cell phones.

Meanwhile, the insurance company and Benette O. Samolu are yet to file their respective responses against the allegations.

Sorry, I don’t know the detailed of the case and not a lawyer but a mere ex- insurance broker. Insurance agreements contained how much the insurance company will pay (legal limit) per accident and for what. Insurance companies need and must do public awareness of their responsibilities IF…… Our people deserved humbleness and humane treatment if they can request answerable demands and questions. This issue can be solved over the phone

Liberianobserver.com is the online version of its print edition, the Daily Observer newspaper, a product of the Liberian Observer Corporation. The Daily Observer publishes a wide range of content including politics, business, sports and entertainment on and about Liberia. Follow us on social media for all the latest news and analysis.